Signs & Symptoms of PTSD & Ways of Treating Them

PTSD, which is generally known as post-traumatic stress disorder is a kind mental health condition which is experienced by a person after being exposed to a traumatic event like the death of a loved one, sexual assault, or a horrific accident etc. In addition to that, people who get exposed to natural calamities like floods, earthquakes, and avalanches etc., also remain at the high risk of suffering from a post-traumatic stress disorder.

PTSD can also result from a childhood trauma, high level of stress that is experienced by people in various environments and simply by viewing a traumatic event. The worst part of struggling with this mental illness is that sometimes people are not even aware that they have a serious problem. And since they do not have any idea that they are suffering from post-traumatic stress disorder, they do not seek any treatment for it, which further worsens their condition.

So, if you want to figure out whether you are suffering from post-traumatic stress disorder or not, here are some of the common signs and symptoms of this mental illness.

If you are experiencing anxiety or depression, then perhaps you are suffering from PTSD

Frequently experienced fearful thoughts also give an indication of PTSD

Flashbacks and bad dreams are also very common signs of post-traumatic stress disorder

People suffering from PTSD usually experience headaches and nausea

They have problem in sleeping and concentrating on their work

Relationship issues, employment problems and suicidal thoughts are other important signs of PTSD

In addition to above-mentioned signs and symptoms, people struggling with post-traumatic stress disorder also face drinking or drug problems. In other words, if they fail to get a good guidance they take the help of alcohol and drugs which give them temporary support but have severe consequences for their health.

Seeking right treatment is very important if you want to get rid of your mental illness. There are several ways of treating post-traumatic stress disorder but approaching a good rehab centre like Charter Harley Street which offers trauma therapy to the patients can prove to be extremely helpful for you.

Treatment for post-traumatic stress disorder

Trauma Therapy

One of the most important ways of treating PTSD is trauma therapy. It is a kind of treatment process during which a skilled and certified therapist first try to analyse the impact of the traumatic event on the mental, emotional, behavioural and physical well-being of the patient in question. In the initial therapy sessions, you have to share all the details about the traumatic event with your therapist. In addition to that, your therapist will also ask you several other questions associated with the traumatic event in order to understand your condition effectively. Before giving a reliable treatment they also check your medical history to figure out whether you are suffering from some other problem or not. If in case, you are also facing other health problems then you will be given the treatment accordingly.

When you try to treat your condition with trauma therapy you learn coping skills to fight your negative thoughts and to overcome your low self-esteem. In short, with the assistance of professional guidance, you start taking your life in a positive direction by managing your negative thoughts effectively.

Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT)

Another effective way of treating PTSD is cognitive behavioural therapy or CBT, which was initially used for treating patients suffering from depression. However, with the passage of time, cognitive behavioural therapy has shown favourable results in treating people suffering from PTSD. It is a kind of treatment process wherein experts help patients develop coping strategies to deal with their problematic thoughts and behaviour. Coping strategies developed by the patients help them in solving their current problems, which eventually proves to be very helpful in improving their mental and emotional well-being.

Exposure Therapy

Exposure Therapy, which helps patients in dealing with their fears is also very helpful in treating PTSD. It is a kind of behavioural therapy wherein a person is first exposed to a problematic situation with the help of different systematic techniques and then they are taught how to deal with it. Generally what happens is when you experience anxiety because of a traumatic event, you try your level best to avoid all those things and situations that remind you of that event. But exposure therapy makes it easier for you to face your fears and tackle them effectively.

Apart from considering the above-mentioned tips, you should also try to keep yourself occupied with creative activities like painting, singing, and drawing etc., to get rid of fearful thoughts. On top of that, you should also try to spend more time with your loved ones, perform exercises on a regular basis and consume a balanced diet.